Description

The Story of Rama
The Story of Rama as told by
One day the hermit Valmiki inquired of the great rishi*
Narada whether he could tell of any man living perfect
in goodliness, virtue, courage, and benevolence. Then
Narada related to him all the story that is now called the
Ramayana, for such a man as Valmiki desired to hear of
was the great Rama.
Valmiki returned to his forest hut. As he passed through
the woods he saw a bird-man and a bird-woman singing
and dancing. But at that very moment a wicked hunter
shot the bird-man with an arrow so that he died, and
his mate bewailed him long and bitterly. Then the
hermit was moved by pity and anger, and cursed the
hunter and passed on. But as he walked on, his words
recurred to him, and he found that they formed a
couplet in a new metre : " Let this be called a shloka"
he said.
Soon after he reached his hut there appeared to him the
four-faced shining Brahma, the Creator of the World. Him
Valmiki worshipped ; but the unhappy bird-man and the
new-made shloka filled his thoughts. Then Brahma
addressed him with a smile : " It was by my will that
those words came from thy mouth ; that metre shall be
very famous hereafter. Do thou compose in it the whole
history of Rama; relate, O wise one, both all that is
known and all that is as yet unknown to thee of Rama
and Lakshmana and Janaka s daughter, and all the tribe
of rakshasas. What is unknown shall be revealed to thee,
and the poem shall be true from the first word to the last.
Moreover, this thy Ramayana shall spread abroad amongst